Think before you drink
Submitted by jstudent on Wed, 2006-07-19 14:22.By Danny Adler
Philly EDGE Correspondent
“I usually just get a (Yuengling)Lager when I go out drinking,” my friend Johnny says at the bar. “It’s ol’ reliable. You know what you’re gonna get.”
This sentiment runs pretty deep among regulars of the bar scene.
First off, drinks at the bar can be expensive. Secondly, every bartender may make the same mixed drink differently, so why take the risk of ordering something new? You may not like the result.
Unfortunately, this attitude creates a stagnant State of the Bar and nothing new is gained.
We’re curious to see what else is out there. We want to try new things.
So, with that in mind, Philly EDGE wants to tell you about some of the new, invigorating ways to wet your whistle in the suffocating Delaware Valley heat.
The End of the Rainbow
Philadelphia restaurateur, Stephen Starr, is known for being a little over-the-top; remember the $100 cheesesteak (at Barclay Prime)? But Starr’s new “End of the Rainbow” dessert martinis at the Continental Mid-town make perfect sense.
The Godiva Martini, a mixture of vodka and Godiva Chocolate Liqueur served in a chocolate-rimmed martini glass, is a sweet tooth’s favorite poison. Another favorite is the Espresso Martini; it’s made with vodka, Kahlua and La Colombe espresso to give a bold, caffeinated punch that should be plenty to reenergize yourself for some more bar hoppin’.
Continental Mid-town, 1801 Chestnut St., Philadelphia
Bluecoat American Dry Gin
In keeping with Philadelphia’s pride in revolutionary ideas, Philadelphia Distilling, LLC created Bluecoat American Dry Gin—a smooth, natural gin with a unique flavor. This new Philly-favorite’s five-time distillation process and use of organic juniper berries and citrus peel creates an earthy taste that triumphs where other pine-needle-y gins fall short.
After the year-and-a-half of preparation—creating a customized distillery, taste-testing and market research before the first batch was distributed to stores in May—Bluecoat can be found in most wine and spirit shops and over 150 bars in the Philly area.
“We highlight some of the botanicals that are American made—mainly citrus,” Philadelphia Distilling marketer Andrew Auwerda says.
Bluecoat prides itself on being American gin. “It’s craft-distilled, made by the batch each time. More handcrafted, in a sense,” Auwerda says.
Three parts Bluecoat, four parts tonic, a hint of lime juice, a lime and a lemon will make the best gin and tonic this side of the murky Delaware.
B.I.Y. BEER
Ever wonder how you can combine your love for Nut Brown Ale and sun-dried tomatoes? With Keystone Homebrew supply, you can turn that dream into a reality, although you might not want to try that particular combination.
Keystone Homebrew provides plenty of products and information so you can stay at home and brew-it-yourself. This way, you make beer how you like it. And hell! There’s got to be something said about a man who makes his own beer.
For $49.99, it’s not that difficult to turn your kitchen into the next Yuengling Brewery. The beginners’ kit comes fully equipped with all the necessary supplies: primary fermenter, air lock, thermometer, auto siphon, bottle brush and plenty of other gadgets straight out of a high school chem lab.
And while, yes, it may seem like a lot of work for a batch of beer, home brewing allows for the personalization and customization that you could never get with a macro-brewed product. Whether you like your beer more or less hoppy, more or less full, more or less watered-down, Homebrew gives you that option.
Keystone Homebrew (779 Bethlehem Pike (Rt. 309),Montgomeryville; 215.855.0100)
p.i.n.k.
Self-proclaimed as “the world’s perfect party spirit,” p.i.n.k. vodka broke in the New York bar scene perhaps looking to put an end to the Red Bull and vodka craze.
“It took two years to perfect the process of creating a premium spirit that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless, but infused with caffeine,” p.i.n.k. public relations spokesperson Michelle Davidson says.
What makes p.i.n.k. so intriguing is that it is a vodka that strives to taste like… vodka. (What a concept!) It is light and crisp, while containing an abundance of energizing caffeine without the taste of an energy drink.
And according to the pictures on the p.i.n.k. Web site, a few glasses of p.i.n.k. will have you showering with tan, busty bombshells and yanking curtains off the wall in no time. This isn’t a double-fisting-frat-boys-with-backwards-ball-caps drink; this is for the more upscale caffeinehead in all of us.
Although store distribution is currently limited to stores in New York City, p.i.n.k. is also available at www.perfectpartyspirit.com, which will ship the $40 bottle straight to you.
“We absolutely plan to branch out and take it to new places,” Davidson assures.
Leblon Cachaca
Who doesn’t think of Philadelphia when they think of Brazilian liquor? They go together like sex and… root canals?
Anyway, Wayne-native Steve Luttmann, CEO of Leblon Holdings, recently premiered his Leblon Cachaca to the area, after launching the product in Miami. Cachaca, a rum-like liquor—which is distilled from unrefined sugar cane is wildly popular as a mixer in Brazil.
Leblon Cachaca’s sweet taste is accented by its full aroma; a wonderfully blended scent of sugar cane and sweet lime. And seeing as it is Brazilian, if you drink enough of it, you might be tempted to shave your “nether” hair into a thin, narrow strip.
Leblon Cachaca is available at Alma de Cuba (1623 Walnut St., Philadelphia) Amada (217-219 Chestnut St., Philadelphia), Brasil’s (112 Chestnut St., Philadelphia) and El Vez (121 S 13th St
Philadelphia).
Ringo Kyuuri
It could be argued that with its stylish ambiance, you don’t even have to eat or drink to have a good time at Buddakan (325 Chestnut St., Philadelphia). But beyond the towering Buddha, the trendy, heavily-cushioned lounge, the slick blood-red tables, and the modern Asian decor, lies a Philadelphia treasure: the Ringo Kyuuri, a drink that prides itself as a wonderful combination of East-meets-West flavors.
Cucumber muddled with sake and vodka give the Ringo Kyuuri an earthy, smooth and spicy kick, followed by a sweet hint of Apple Pucker added for good measure. This, along with the Bonsai Martini (Grey Goose vodka, cilantro and lemon-lime in a sugar-rimmed glass) is a perfect example of the trendy Old City cocktail for the stylish, well-trained palate.
Buddakan (325 Chestnut St., Philadelphia)
Nite Owl Energy Shots
Nite Owl Energy Shots smoke and glow like the aphrodisiac potion in Woody Allen’s Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex * But Were Afraid To Ask.
Three ounces of Nite Owl Energy drink and a one-ounce shot of anything you like are added to a shot glass containing a dry ice capsule (you don’t drink the dry ice, it’s actually inside the shot glass). When all the liquids mix with the dry ice, the drink smokes heavily, glows and the drink’s temperature lowers drastically.
You can get Nite Owl shots at Havana (105 S. Main Street, New Hope) most Friday and Saturday nights; you can see their promo people at various bars all throughout the area.
Havana (105 S. Main Street, New Hope);Whiskey Tango (Bustleton Pike, Philadelphia)
